1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the use of tioconazole and related imidazole antifungal agents for the control (chemoprophylactic and chemotherapeutic) of Herpes simplex virus (HSV), especially of genital herpes.
2. Description of the Invention
Tioconazole, 1-[2-{(2-chloro-3-thienyl)methoxy)-2-(2,4-dichlorophenyl}ethyl]-1H-imidazo le, and related 1-aryl-2-(1-imidazolyl)alkyl ethers and thioethers are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,062,966, issued Dec. 13, 1977, as antifungal agents for animals, including human, use. Said compounds may be administered in a variety of forms such as suppositories or pessaries or they may be applied topically in the form of, for example, creams, ointments or dusting powders.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,247,552, issued Jan. 27, 1981, discloses the spermatostatic and spermatocidal activity of tioconazole and related compounds, including econazole, miconazole, ketoconazole and clotrimazole, said compounds being administered intravaginally as creams, spray foams, sponges and the like to subjects clinically asymptomatic of vaginal microbial infection.
Control of sexually transmitted diseases, including herpes infections, continues to be an intensively investigated field in view of the major health problems posed by said infections.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,001, issued Feb. 9, 1982, discloses the treatment of Herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 infections in humans by administration of 2-deoxy-D-glucose either alone or in combination with an antifungal agent such as miconazole or miconazole nitrate.
A variety of aryloxyalkylpyrazoles which exhibit in vitro activity against HSV types 1 and 2 and in vivo activity against mouse genital HSV2 are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,171,365; 4,209,526; 4,232,161; 4,234,725 and 4,261,928.
It is interesting and surprising, to note that although tioconazole and the above-enumerated antifungal imidazoles have been known for several years to have spermatostatic and spermatocidal activity, and have been used for the treatment of vaginitis, there have been no reports of their use or other topical antimicrobics to control herpetic infections (HSV1 and 2). If indeed any such use occurred it was unintended and unappreciated; it was an unrecognized accident. Further, none of the reported studies or uses of said compounds were conducted with the intent of controlling herpetic infections. Their purpose was treatment of existing fungal and STD infections; cure rather than prevention. There is, in fact, no known prior use of said compounds which can be considered to have consistently achieved control of herpetic infections.
Few drugs are known for the treatment of Herpes simplex type 1 infections and even fewer for the treatment of Herpes simplex type 2 infections. Both infections, but especially HSV2, genital Herpes, are sexually transmitted and pose a major health problem. There is, therefore, a pressing need for agents for the prophylactic and/or therapeutic treatment of persons subject to exposure to said infection and/or those suffering from said infection. The ability of a given drug to act both prophylactically and therapeutically is especially desirable.